Camper shell lift
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 393
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From: Santa Clara, CA
Camper shell lift
Does anybody know a good way to lift a camper shell in a driveway (truck won't fit in a garage...so that rules out the hoists mountable on the ceiling)?
Is there some sort of "lift kit" out there?....something that would satisfy the wife...i.e. safe...
Is there some sort of "lift kit" out there?....something that would satisfy the wife...i.e. safe...
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,674
Likes: 3
Easy. Remove the mounting hardware from the truck. Have a friend on each corner help you lift the camper off the truck. Set said camper on the ground and slap a for sale sign on it. Stick ad up on Craigslist.
Sorry, I am not a fan of campers,, personally. Guess my feelings came out on that one.
Sorry, I am not a fan of campers,, personally. Guess my feelings came out on that one.
Reads ***** rules!
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 3
From: So.Ca./ N.E. UT
Get two 12' 2x4's
Unbolt hardware from truck
Go inside and lift front with back against ceiling while someone slides the 2x4 across the bedrails (you could also drill holes through the 2x4 and bolt to the shell so nothing slides,
I highly recommend it!), repeat for the rear.
Get 3 more bodies (1 for each corner) lift shell by 2x4's on the outside and set on ground. Adding short blocks to the bottom of the 2x4's at the ends and one in the middle will keep it off the ground and fingers won't get smashed. I welded together a shell lift for my forklift so I can do it by myself now but I still use the 2x4's so nothing gets damaged.
Unbolt hardware from truck
Go inside and lift front with back against ceiling while someone slides the 2x4 across the bedrails (you could also drill holes through the 2x4 and bolt to the shell so nothing slides,
I highly recommend it!), repeat for the rear.
Get 3 more bodies (1 for each corner) lift shell by 2x4's on the outside and set on ground. Adding short blocks to the bottom of the 2x4's at the ends and one in the middle will keep it off the ground and fingers won't get smashed. I welded together a shell lift for my forklift so I can do it by myself now but I still use the 2x4's so nothing gets damaged.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Marinette, WI
Sorry I can't post a pic right now...kind of layed up with a broken leg and camper shell lift rig is about 40 mi north!!
What I made was 4 A Frames made out of 2x4 lumber with 1 inch holes drilled at the top of the A frame. I unbolt the shell and lift it from the inside just enough to slide a 3/4in pipe 8ft long onto the bed rails ( I have it marked where the pipes will need to be at the rails) use another pipe at the rear of the shell. slide the a frames onto the pipe and put a cap on each end, a couple of ratchet straps over the top of the shell and attached to the pipes and is is anchored then just pivot the A frames down and drive out from under the shell. attach a 2x4 as an angle brace to the front set of a frames and then the oppiset to the back set and it will stand there for a long time safe and secure
What I made was 4 A Frames made out of 2x4 lumber with 1 inch holes drilled at the top of the A frame. I unbolt the shell and lift it from the inside just enough to slide a 3/4in pipe 8ft long onto the bed rails ( I have it marked where the pipes will need to be at the rails) use another pipe at the rear of the shell. slide the a frames onto the pipe and put a cap on each end, a couple of ratchet straps over the top of the shell and attached to the pipes and is is anchored then just pivot the A frames down and drive out from under the shell. attach a 2x4 as an angle brace to the front set of a frames and then the oppiset to the back set and it will stand there for a long time safe and secure
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,815
Likes: 24
From: Houston
I just get in the bed of the truck, put back back under the ceiling somewhere near the center for it to be even and walk it out while parked in the ditch.
...Okay...I only did that once. It took me half of the next day to figure out why my legs were so sore.
I'm about to set up some posts in the backyard that I can just back in between and slide some 2x4's under it and mount it on the posts. With the 4.5" lift my truck is just a hair too tall to fit in the garage.
...Okay...I only did that once. It took me half of the next day to figure out why my legs were so sore.
I'm about to set up some posts in the backyard that I can just back in between and slide some 2x4's under it and mount it on the posts. With the 4.5" lift my truck is just a hair too tall to fit in the garage.
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Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,362
Likes: 2
From: Juneau, ALASKA
Doing it alone.
Get two 10 or 12 foot 2x4 get in truck bed use your legs to lift one corner at a time with your back against roof and place a 2x4 block under topper so that there is a 4 inch gap. Slide your 12 foot 2x4s under it so they are even with one side of bed and stick out on the other. Then push your topper towards the side of bed where 2x4 are sticking out. When most of the topper is one them let them rotate down from truck bed then slide topper down them and onto ground.
To put it back on bed lay your two 2x4 on the one side of bed and slide topper up boards and onto bed.
I have also seen a guy build legs like slide in campers just out of 2x6 one for each corner with a racket strap strung across the two in front and two in rear and he used that to left shell then drove out from under it. Pretty wobbly I would suggest putting 2x2 across top of sides and across back at top and bottom then back truck into it.
Get two 10 or 12 foot 2x4 get in truck bed use your legs to lift one corner at a time with your back against roof and place a 2x4 block under topper so that there is a 4 inch gap. Slide your 12 foot 2x4s under it so they are even with one side of bed and stick out on the other. Then push your topper towards the side of bed where 2x4 are sticking out. When most of the topper is one them let them rotate down from truck bed then slide topper down them and onto ground.
To put it back on bed lay your two 2x4 on the one side of bed and slide topper up boards and onto bed.
I have also seen a guy build legs like slide in campers just out of 2x6 one for each corner with a racket strap strung across the two in front and two in rear and he used that to left shell then drove out from under it. Pretty wobbly I would suggest putting 2x2 across top of sides and across back at top and bottom then back truck into it.
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